Rear seatbelt requirement among new laws for 2012

Saturday

SPRINGFIELD -- What kind of New Year would it be without a slew of new state laws taking effect?

SPRINGFIELD -- What kind of New Year would it be without a slew of new state laws taking effect?

Today, more than 200 state laws get added to the books, covering everything from traffic issues and the criminal code to condo associations, stable owners and respectful language. (In the latter case, the state is required to change references in its laws from “mental retardation” and “crippled” to “intellectual disability” and “physically disabled.”)

In many cases, few people will notice the new laws. Some, though, have broader impact and ignoring them in some cases could cost you money.

Here’s a few of the new laws taking effect today.

Rear seat belts: House Bill 219

Illinois law governing seat belts gets a little simpler.

Now, if you’re in a private vehicle, you have to wear a seat belt. Before the new law took effect, only front-seat occupants had to wear belts, along with children under various circumstances.

The new rule is simple: “Every driver and passenger must be restrained, front seat and back seat,” said Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Police.

The only exceptions are in taxis and emergency vehicles. Failure to buckle up could result in a $25 ticket, although higher fines remain in place for not properly restraining children.

Bond said the Illinois State Police will be enforcing the new law. The department plans to conduct enforcement patrols in Christian County in January to ensure that motorists are complying.

“That typically happens anytime there’s any kind of new laws that go into effect, but especially during the holidays,” Bond said. “The goal is to see that the public is aware of these new laws. It’s preventive.”

Twenty-five other states that require use of seat belts by back seat passengers.

Electronics recycling: Senate Bill 2106

Christmas may have brought a bunch of new electronic gadgets to the house, some perhaps to replace things that are no longer working. If the plan was to toss the old stuff in the garbage, you are too late. As of today, most of it must be recycled.

Under the law, 17 types of electronic gear can no longer be dumped in landfills. They range from televisions and computers to VCRs, game consoles and even mice (electronic, not biological).

“Electronics products are one of the largest growing areas of the waste stream,” said Doug Clay, manager of the division of land pollution for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The new law has two advantages. It will conserve landfill space and allow components of the devices, most of which are readily recyclable, to be reused.

Although landfills are lined, Clay said, there still is a potential for toxic materials in the devices to get into groundwater if improperly disposed.

There is a $25 fine for a resident improperly dumping the devices. A waste hauler also can be hit with a $500 fine.

A list of certified locations that will accept the devices is available at http://tinyurl.com/electronics-green.

Cottage foods: Senate Bill 840

Until now, baked goods, jams and jellies and fruit butters sold at farmers’ markets had to be prepared in commercial kitchens subject to health inspections. With some exceptions, that is no longer the case.

Instead, people wanting to sell their prepared goodies at farmers’ markets can make them in their homes, as long as they don’t sell more than $25,000 worth in a year. The products must contain the name and address of the person who made them, a list of ingredients and a warning label that they were made in a home kitchen. Producers must take a food service sanitation course and must register with local health departments. Farmers’ markets are not required to allow the sale of cottage foods.

The bill spells out what foods do and do not fall under the cottage foods law. Foods allowed by the bill are generally acidic and less likely to cause food-borne illnesses. The law still prohibits other types of foods from being made in the home and then sold. An apple pie is allowed, for example, but a cheesecake is not.

Thoron said department officials will meet next week to further discuss administration of the law.

Motorcycle red lights: House Bill 2860

Sometime in the upcoming year you might see a motorcyclist drive through an intersection even though the traffic light is red. It may not necessarily be a violation.

As of Jan. 1, motorcyclists can drive through a red light — after first stopping, of course — if it doesn’t turn green in a “reasonable” amount of time.

“You’ve got red lights set up on triggers with magnetic strips in the pavement,” said Todd Vandermyde who lobbies for the motorcyclist interest group ABATE of Illinois. “A lot of times they don’t detect motorcycles. They’re not set properly, they’re not tuned right, motorcycles don’t trip them because they have a smaller profile. You end up sitting there and sitting there and sitting there.”

What constitutes a reasonable amount of time is the question. Sgt. Charles Kean, traffic services supervisor for the Springfield Police Department, said it appears it will be up to an officer’s discretion.

“It’s going to be hard because there is no clearly defined (time),” he said.

Vandermyde said a bill is being prepared for lawmakers to consider in the spring that will specify that motorcyclists must wait two minutes.

“We’ll put some certainty in the law,” he said.

Speed limits: Senate Bill 1913

The state already had a uniform 65-mph speed limit for cars and large trucks on rural interstates. Now that same limit will apply to divided, four-lane highways that aren’t designated interstates in downstate Illinois.

“The whole argument from the start is that it is safer to have traffic going at a uniform speed rather than a split speed limit,” said Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, author of the bill. “Illinois is one of the few states with a split speed limit.”

When the bill making uniform speed limits on rural interstates passed, there was a lot of opposition. The new bill passed with far less opposition.

“People have come to accept uniform speed limits,” Sullivan said.

Uninsured motorists: House Bill 2267

It’s going to get more costly to drive without insurance for repeat offenders in Illinois.

The fine for a third conviction for driving without insurance will increase from $500 to $1,000 when no injuries are involved. When injuries occur, the mandatory fine for someone with two or more convictions goes to $2,500.

In addition to paying fines, an uninsured motorist who causes an accident resulting in injuries can be sent to jail. Uninsured motorists also will have their drivers’ licenses and license plates suspended.

Jim Schneider, administrator of the mandatory insurance division for Secretary of State Jesse White, said that in 2010, about 4.4 percent of Illinois drivers were on the road without insurance. Before Illinois made insurance mandatory in 1990, he said, the rate was around 17 percent.

“We have one of the better uninsured rates in the nation,” he said.

It isn’t clear if the new law will prompt more people to obtain insurance.

“You always hope it will provide additional motivation to be insured,” said White spokesman Henry Haupt.

Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527.

Want to know more?

For a full list of new laws, go to http://tinyurl.com/newlaws2012.

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